Blackwell Reference Online

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[ xix ] A S ufi order of considerable influence in northern and western Africa, founded in the Maghreb by Ahmad al-Tijani (1737–1815). Al-Tijani claimed that he received permission to found his order directly from the Prophet M uhammad in a vision and that he was the last or ‘seal’ of the saints ( see W ali ). Unlike other Sufis, Tijanis are forbidden to affiliate with other orders. The J ihad leader, ‘Umar b. Sa'id al-Futi (1794–1864), was a major proselytizer of the Tijani order in 19th-century west Africa ( see A frica, islam in ). Subsequent sub-branches have been important, such as the Hamallists, founded by Ahmad Hamallah (1883–1943), and the Niass Tijanis, founded by Ibrahim Niass (1902–76). The Niass branch of the order is based in Senegal but has significant followings throughout Africa, especially in Ghana, Nigeria and Sudan; from the 1980s, it began to establish zawiyas (see S ufi institutions ) in the USA among Afro-American Muslims. [63; 90; 125] ... log in or subscribe to read full text